I have soft spots in my heart. I have always had them. This Christmas season I noticed it with TSO’s (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) song, Christmas Canon. It features the orchestra accompanied by a children’s choir. That’s a common theme with me, I’ve discovered. I wrote last Christmas about my ultimate soft spot, the West Wing episode (In Excelsis Deo) in which Toby arranged a military funeral for a homeless veteran who died of exposure in the nation’s capitol. (The YouTube video I posted for that diary has been removed for copyright violations, I am sorry to say. Most of what it showed may be found here. At least, until the copyright guardians find it again.) The closing song in the West Wing episode also (and, for me, not coincidentally) featured a children’s choir.
The TSO song does not carry as deep a political meaning for me as the West Wing show, but it does tap into the magic of music, into its ability to touch us and to touch our younger generations with its power, with the joy and importance of artistic creativity.
We see so much violence in our world, so many human beings resorting to physical violence and thoughts with hostile intent. It seems so many have come to believe that violence is more powerful than peace, hate stronger than love. Deep down we know it isn’t so, but it seems to be so often enough that large numbers of our fellow human beings buy into the idea.
I have always been inclined toward soft-heartedness. Unlike some men, I’ve never had a problem with crying, or feeling that it is weak. I know it isn’t weakness to show or experience vulnerability, openness to the totality of human emotion and caring. Conservatives speak in terms of us being bleeding hearts. It represents (among other things) contempt for empathy and caring. For us it means living our love, it means letting beautiful things touch us and affect us. It means living fully and honestly and openly. It means recognizing that feeling hope and inspiration and the joy of creativity is one of the most important reasons we’re alive.
And, yes, it means that having soft spots in our hearts is one of the strongest, most noble experiences we can ever have.
What are your soft spots, if you feel comfortable sharing? :)
Tonight's comment submissions!
From samer:
Samer says (about a Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse comment), "Watch as a good point quickly spirals out of control."
From shpilk:
Sometimes, absurdity brings merriment. (A comment from brooklynbadboy gets Kossacks "a riffin'!")
My finds:
Eman writes a detailed comment about the Obama 'disappointment.' ;)
seancdaug writes about a historical incident of left-right alliance.
jaywillie writes about the difficulties of unholy alliances and filibuster proofing.
Horsefeathers, with my favorite pictorial comment of the day!
Top Mojo, excluding the tip jars and usual high mojo comments:
1 sorry, but.... by ridemybike - 164
2 Nate Silver gets to the heart of FDL nonsense by BlueFranco - 130
3 Yes, she is, but . . . by noweasels - 102
4 driftglass by kestrel9000 - 93
5 Everybody coming by raf - 82
6 Or cash. Around here $1 translates into ~$7 by Jacques - 81
7 You betcha! by noweasels - 78
8 Thanks much for that sanity from Nate, by Timaeus - 74
9 Scritch by Roger Fox - 73
10 Oh, no . . . I think she is dumber by noweasels - 69
11 Merry Christmas! by noweasels - 67
12 Took a large chunk of my xmas budget by winterbanyan - 67
13 More Christmas Photos... by triciawyse - 67
14 Hai & hugs, Amber, thanks for joining us. by triciawyse - 65
15 How she manages... by KingOneEye - 65
16 Quick hello... by mayim - 64
17 Prayin' for Peace on Earth by JaxDem - 63
18 Thanks, Treghas, it is appreciated. I gotta have by triciawyse - 63
19 Snort. Frosty has been busy! by JanF - 63
20 Smile for the camera if and when the by Amber6541 - 62
21 I'll leave it at this by oceanstar17 - 61
22 Enjoying Christmas!! by kishik - 60
23 Merry Christmas to all! by Ekaterin - 59
24 From the woozle contingent, Merry Christmas! by Norbrook - 59
25 Thanks, mayim, it is appreciated. by triciawyse - 59
26 All Kinds of Critters Enjoy Christmas Time ... by dmhlt 66 - 59
27 This Begs The Question.... by IndianaDemocrat - 59
28 Please. Not in here. by Deoliver47 - 58
29 Yes - thanks for adding that. by Deoliver47 - 58
30 as one who agrees with her on hcr by Turkana - 58
31 You rocked. by Setrak - 58
Top Mojo, everything included (of 14651 comments in the past 24 hours)!
1 Oh yeah... by KingOneEye - 256
2 tip jar if you like. by sharistuff - 244
3 Don't forget to donate some food by Deoliver47 - 238
4 Thank you for reading by teacherken - 230
5 Tip Jar by flitedocnm - 218
6 Tip Jar by exmearden - 190
7 sorry, but.... by ridemybike - 159
8 Scritchie Jar by triciawyse - 144
9 Tip Jar by TeddySanFran - 137
10 Tip Jar by NearlySomebody - 136
11 Tip Jar by BlatantLiberal - 133
12 Tip Jar by 7November - 129
13 Nate Silver gets to the heart of FDL nonsense by BlueFranco - 127
14 Mojo Christmas, everyone! by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 123
15 Tip Jar by juliewolf - 118
16 Tip Jar by PapaChach - 110
17 All engines ahead full, Scotty! by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 105
18 Yes, she is, but . . . by noweasels - 99
19 MerryHappyChristmasKwanzaaHolidaysHanukkah by Spedwybabs - 98
20 Billo says: I am shocked to by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 98
21 Tip Jar by James Ty - 94
22 driftglass by kestrel9000 - 93
23 Tip Jar by GLBT and Friends at Daily Kos - 92
24 Mojo Mojo Mojo Mojo by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 92
25 Tip Jar by IndianaDemocrat - 89
26 Holiday tips by plf515 - 86
27 Or cash. Around here $1 translates into ~$7 by Jacques - 81
28 Mojo Christmas, everyone! by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 80
29 And let's not forget Festivus! by Its the Supreme Court Stupid - 80
30 from the ground by Turkana - 80
Please submit your comment finds below! :) And thanks for visiting!